The nightmares haunted Snow like a an itch she just couldn't scratch. Night after night - always the same. A drip, drip, drip and platter of blood upon the snow. The pelt of a wolf swiftly running - and laughter. Each night she'd wake up, her brows covered in sweat. And her mind would drift once more to things she'd lost. Memories of a time before, of an innocence that she had figured lost.

The visions and dreams were impossible to tell the difference between - but they bothered her. More than once, she had to remind herself that - for all intents and purposes - Vali was not her packmate anymore. She could not spend time focusing on someone so far away and so distanced from the rest of them. She had to focus on the here and now - tending to her territory and keeping her pack safe. But no matter how much she tried to remind herself of that, she could not shake the feeling.

Was it weakness to show such concern over something you had already lost?

In the end though, she could not fight the urge to sway these emotions that burned inside her. She knew that if she let them wander without at least checking, they'd bother her until the point where she couldn't effectively do her job - so, as a personal compromise to herself, she chose that she would check on her former packmate - but in secret.

That meant travel. That meant that she'd be entering the territory of another wolf, while remaining discreet. As a Cahalith, this fought against her every instinct - but as a Street Urchin, it was second nature to who she was. So she wandered - past the Suicide cliffs, through bayside, to reach parkside - then she traveled to where she knew the other wolf lived.

She could smell the scent of Vali on her nose if she just focused on it.

Moving to one of the trees, she danced her way to a high perch - where she could look in on the window, camouflaged with the darkness. Just to see her old friend. Just to make sure she was okay - and quietly alleviate the dreams which so tormented her mind.

He felt the first phantom pains across his back, the anger rise. It was not uncommon with her, she was blood talon after all: And she got into a LOT of fights.

Her rage spiked a few times, pain here and there.

And then euphoria of a sort. Something that he probably would associate with their mating but much much ..worse.

It took him a moment to shake that off, after it registered so did the fact that her life force was draining almost rapidly from her body.

Joseph Taylor:The pain woke him from an already-uneasy sleep, but it was the euphoria that both caught him off-guard and got him scrambling out of bed. He had felt the same thing himself, in another time and place, and had a damn good idea of what was causing it.

He zipped downstairs once he was dressed, asking one of the Lost who was still awake to keep an eye on Hope for him, then headed for his car and began driving towards the park most ricky tick. "Hang on, Val..." He said quietly, more for himself than anyone else. "I'm coming."

Chavali:The phantom pain returned, his joints HER joints where blood loss had taken the cushion. The veins collapsing. He had the impression of darkness, silence as he lost the connection..or rather lost any sense of what she felt as she was beyond feeling now

Joseph Taylor:Joseph wasted no time getting to the park, pulling the car into the first available spot and heading in the direction her pain radiated from. The sudden stop of that pain caused him to stumble but he kept going, eyes wide and sight sharp as he pressed onward.

Chavali:He had to run a bit deeper into the park and as he did he heard the laughter of children. Then saw movement, blurs

Finally he came to a clearing, well, she MADE a clearing as at some point she had gone to war form and it looked like she knocked a few trees down. There was ash that he ran through, but she was on the ground, face down and seeming limp. He couldnt see her face, or any movement

Joseph Taylor:The laughter was filed into the back of his mind but he continued onward, pausing only for a moment as he saw her face down in the ash-dusted clearing before he moved to her side. After taking a moment to check if she was breathing he placed a hand on her shoulder and closed his eyes, speaking quietly in a tongue that had no meaning.

He took in a sharp breath as the contract he called upon took hold, his own blood draining from his body in wounds that formed and closed just as quickly. His skin went pale, his grip lessened, but the damage done by the undead was completely wiped away from his beloved. (Healing 9L, taking 3L)

Chavali:Looking at her, her lips where blue and skin ash. HE could see multiple bite marks from little mouths

As her skin re-knitted and her blood replicated she twitched, fingers flexed and she slowly opened her eyes.

At first they where white over, something he had seen before when she communicated with her totem and then turned back to her green hue. She looked up at him before starting to sit up "I had it!"

Joseph Taylor:"You were...bleeding out, hon." He couldn't help but smile when she sat up, sliding down from his kneeling position into a proper sit himself. "Should probably...get out of here."

Chavali:She blinked and then stood, helping him up "Your right. They might come back" She paused once he got up and leaned in giving him a kiss on the cheek "home, then we can talk"

Joseph Taylor:He nodded, letting her help him up and leaning against her a bit once he was up. "Sounds good." He motioned towards the parking area with his free hand. "Car's over there."

Chavali:She put a arm around him and helped him towards the car. "Your hurt" She said grumpy, though not really at him. Then said "Why did you do that? All you had to do was chase them off, id heal eventually...,maybe. Now YOUR hurt"

She got him to the car and got him in before slipping into the drivers side. She didnt know how to drive well but she managed on the way home

Joseph Taylor:"You hadn't started healing yet, didn't want to take the chance." He smiled a bit, letting her get him to the car and into the seat. "And I'll be fine. Should be right as rain in a couple days."

Chavali:She growled at that and was quiet the rest of the way home. She hit the button on the garage as she pulled into it and waited for it to shut before helping him out and into the house

She went to get him orange juice and brought it back to him "this should help you feel a little bitter" She sat down and eyed him

Joseph Taylor:Joseph took a seat on the couch once they were inside, watching as she went into the kitchen and then returned with the juice. He took the glass and had a long pull from it before he set it down again, letting out a quiet sigh before looking back to her. "I know you don't like when I use that contract, but if I see you hurt and I can do something about it I will."

Chavali:She scooted back, and once he was done she pulled him down into her lap, gently placing his head there. She used long fingers to stroke back his hair while watching him then said "Cant you just do less about it?"

Joseph Taylor:Joseph didn't make a fuss when she eased his head into her lap, looking up at her with a small smile as she ran her fingers through his hair. "I could, but I wouldn't. And I know you wouldn't take half-measures if it was me that was in trouble."

Chavali:She frowned a bit at that, though she wasn't about to admit he was right. She sighed "How are you going to watch over Hope if you are like this?"

Joseph Taylor:"Same as I have been, just eating a lot more spinach." He smirked a bit, reaching up to brush her cheek. "Really, I'll be fine."

Chavali:He heard her grumble low in her chest and sighed "Thank you for healing me and coming. " She was quiet and said slowly "I might need to seek out snow and alex. This is becoming to common"

Joseph Taylor:He gave a quiet nod at that. "May not be a bad idea, if only to help clear these little bastards out. Especially since the other Rom woman hasn't been around for the last few months."